Brown Butter & Bacon Fat Shortbread Cookies

Thursday, May 1

Yesterday morning I woke up to a nasty email. Everyone always says when you start getting those you have made it big. Well, I have not made it "big" yet, however over the years I have had my fair share of hate mail (people really do not like me for some reason... I don't get it. I'm so fuzzy and likable.) Lately I have noticed I do not get nasty comments on Facebook and have had fewer reader emails than before. My lack of presence in social media can be to blame for most of that, however I had begun to wonder if I had lost my touch?

Well I guess I am back in the game!

Yesterday's emailer complained that I use too much of the same. She is sick of seeing Sriracha, balsamic glazes, goat cheese, brown butter....and get this. BACON. Who in the right freaking mind complains about bacon use? Seriously now. Bacon?? You are so grumpy and crusty you need to take time out of your day to complain about my use of bacon on my blog.

So for the grumpy crusty lady who has issues with the only things that are right in the world (bacon). I am dedicating my these Brown Butter & Bacon Fat Shortbread Cookies to you.

Directions:
In a small sauce pan melt butter and allow to cook over medium low heat until it starts to turn golden brown and gets a nutty scent. Careful not to burn the butter. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream sugar, bacon grease and browned butter together until combined.

Mix in salt and flour over low/medium speed until the dough has come together. Scrape dough out of the bowl onto two pieces of plastic wrap.

Wrap dough and form two separate disk.

Place in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to be about 1/4-1/2 of an inch thick. Using your favorite cookie cutter ( I used a canning jar), cut cookies out and carefully place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Re roll dough scraps and cut until you have used all the dough. Bake at 350 for about 20-25 minutes.

Once cookies have baked, place on a cooling rack to cool.

To dip the cooled cookies, over low heat in a small sauce pan carefully melt your chocolate until smooth. I continuously mix to ensure it does not burn.

Dip cooled cookies in chocolate, return to the cooling rack to dry.

You can also melt caramels down and then drizzle the melted caramel over top. I followed the directions on the back of my caramel bag for melting instructions. Each brand might vary a tad.

People are freaking weird. First of all, who the heck has enough time and energy to complain to someone that they don't really know or really impacts their life? I mean, if you don't like something you see on the internet, don't read it. What the heck?? (Please know that I'm not saying that you don't impact lives...I think you know what I'm trying to say here). Get a life, lady and get out of Carrie's (and don't go to Stephie's). This just pisses me off. What did Stephie call them? Internet trolls? I have a picture in my mind what this lady looks like. NEXT!! Ok. I'm done with my rant and I'm coming over for a cookie.

I love this recipe even more now that I know how it came to be. Not that I would ever defend anyone who doesn't like bacon at all times, but being Italian I know that bacon is quite the tv series ingredient and more of a kitchen mystery, especially for people whose breakfast is 90% all the time sweet ;) Bacon is just impossible to find, not the kind you use in the US anyway, sadly.

Carrie, you have not lost your touch :) Anyone who thinks there is too much bacon around has issues that, sadly, bacon won't solve. They are a hopeless case, and it's a no-win situation. Your response is perfect.Carry on, mama! :)

Like I said on Facebook, anyone who DOESN'T love bacon ain't worth spending any time over! Carrie, it's like you took these cookies right out of my dreams. They're magical and delicious and glorious and gorgeous. I need to cook a giant batch of bacon just so that I can collect enough bacon grease to make these.

What an awesome response to an obviously unhappy person with an overinflated sense of entitlement! I always save my bacon fat (the CostCo thick cut slabs yield a ton) and will definitely be trying this out!

Holy crazy. I am just a reader and I had no idea people were like that. Don't you publish recipes for free??? Are they paying you? WTF!!! People, there are much bigger things in life to be upset about. OMG. Thank you for all you do, girl!